


a squared plus b squared

by exbex



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, F/M, M/M, Open Relationships, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-16
Updated: 2017-09-16
Packaged: 2018-12-30 13:14:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12109494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exbex/pseuds/exbex
Summary: Alexei actually blushes a little. It’s not so much embarrassment, but there’s nervousness there. Shit, Grant thinks. Alexei hasn’t dated anyone else in the year, but they’d spent a lot of time talking and he was sure that Alexei knew, without a doubt, that this would not be a problem. (Unless, of course, whoever Alexei decided to date turned out to be a total prick).





	a squared plus b squared

“You’ve met someone.” Grant is hoping that his tone is even, measuring what he’s trying to convey: a question more than a declaration, and absolutely, one hundred percent, not an accusation.

Alexei actually blushes a little. It’s not so much embarrassment, but there’s nervousness there. Shit, Grant thinks. Alexei hasn’t dated anyone else in the last few years, but they’d spent a lot of time talking and he was sure that Alexei knew, without a doubt, that this would not be a problem. (Unless, of course, whoever Alexei decided to date turned out to be a total prick).

“Yes, over summer,” Alexei replies, and the blush actually deepens. Grant wants to scream a little, because now his insecurities are marching to the front line. Maybe Alexei has decided that since this new person can give him everything, and not just stolen kisses and cuddling on Sundays and early morning coffee, he doesn’t need Grant at all, maybe thinks that because Grant and Ashley are rock solid, that it’ll be easy to cut him loose…

But Alexei takes his hand and gives it a gentle squeeze, and doesn’t let go. “I wait to tell you until I know it is going somewhere. We talk, but not dating yet. I tell him about us, how we do this.”

“Is it…someone back home?” Grant rolls his shoulders a little.

“No, he is American. I meet him in New York.” Alexei pauses, and the worried expression is back. Grant clamps down the urge to pry, breathes, waits.

“He plays in NHL.”

Grant blinks. That one is unexpected. Also tricky, due to how many times they play the Rangers and the Islanders over a season, and given that there are still no out players in the NHL. “Is that why you look so nervous? Look, Alyosha…” he gives Alexei’s hand a squeeze. “If you’re worried about it, I mean, if you think it affects things on ice…”

Alexei shrugs. “I worry a little. But he not in our conference.”

Grant feels his patience thinning. “Alyosha…”

“Is Kent Parson.”

There’s a moment, one long, shaky moment where Grant is sure Alexei is playing a joke on him. But that surety is battered into submission by reality. Alexei wouldn’t play this kind of joke.

**

Do you have time to chat?

Ashley’s response is immediate. _Getting ready for a date._ She’s doing her graduate work in linguistics and she’s trained Grant to use ‘chat’ if it’s not an emergency and ‘talk’ if it is. At least thirty percent of why he’s crazy about her is because she honors the system without exception. He makes sure that he doesn’t abuse her trust.

_Have fun. Do everything I wouldn’t do._

_Okay for one, that’s a lot of things. Two, it’s only our third date._

_I thought you allos have a rule about third dates._

_You watch too much television. How about breakfast tomorrow? Unless you have plans with Alexei?_

_I’m free tomorrow. Thanks Ash._

**

“Alexei’s found himself another boyfriend. I’m afraid I won’t like him.” There’s enough truth in the statement that Grant will be able to talk it out with her. 

There’s enough omission to protect everyone’s privacy. Ashley is smart enough to read it all for what it is.

She scoops an ice cube out of her water glass and stirs it into her tea. “Are you worried more about protecting yourself or protecting Alexei?” There’s nothing accusatory in the question, just a gentle probe.

“I…don’t actually know.” Grant is surprised to discover that he really is stumped by the question. The thought of losing Alexei sucks more than he can even describe, but the thought of Alexei getting hurt stirs up some blazing hot coals that clash with the ice cold fear of being dumped.

Ashley takes a careful sip of her tea and sets the cup down slowly. “Okay, so maybe we shelve that one for now. I want you to try to answer this question without thinking about it too hard. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“Alexei could get hurt.” The look in Ashley’s eyes indicates that she is either surprised by how fast Grant has answered the question or surprised by the answer itself. Grant is guessing the former, because her look quickly turns to pleased instead.

“Okay, so, I guess I’m not jealous. Not a lot, anyway. That’s good, I suppose.”

“And not insecure. Not a lot, anyway. So you’re going to meet this guy. And you’re going to be fine, unless he turns out to be a complete asshole. But I think we should apply Occam’s Razor. Alexei is a smart guy who knows how to take care of himself-“

“But he’s also got a huge heart. Makes him vulnerable.” Grant winces inwardly at the fact that he just interrupted her, but he’s afraid he’ll relay all of his fears about Kent Parson possibly being a dirty bastard off the ice like he is on the ice.

“Give me your hand Grant.” She takes his hand, gives it a squeeze. “I’m not going anywhere, okay? So I’ll be around to bail you out. Or kick some ass with you if need be.”

**

Parson’s cocky grin is not his default setting, as it turns out. He doesn’t exactly look abashed when Grant chirps him about playing dirty hockey, but he does look at Alexei as if the sun shines out of his ass.

Acceptable.

**

Grant is pretty sure there’s rumors about he and Alexei online. Sometimes he itches to respond with the truth. “Yeah, we’re dating, but we sure as hell aren’t having sex.”

For a time, Grant had wondered if he was lying to himself about compulsory monogamy. But if finding a half-naked, hickey-riddled Parson standing in Alexei’s kitchen and pouring coffee isn’t enough to send him into fits of jealousy, he’s pretty sure he’s figured himself out.

As it is, Grant is more abashed at forgetting that Parson was in town and Alexei wasn’t going to be able to join him for a morning workout. 

Then again, he’s not all abashed at the way he laughs at Parson startling and spilling coffee all over the counter.

Grant smirks. “S’alright Parson. It happens. It’s okay to be in awe of me on and off the ice.”

“Fuck you,” Parson growls. Grant laughs, but, because he’s not a complete asshole, walks to the drawer where Alexei keeps the rags. “Fourth one down, for future reference,” he says as he pulls some and tosses them to Parson.

“Thanks,” Parson says, and holds Grant’s gaze long enough that it’s obvious that he’s not just talking about the rags. 

“Well, I’m out. Forgot Tater wouldn’t be working out this early. See ya.”

“Yeah, later.”

It’s too early in the morning to be texting Ashley. She’ll probably respond with a delightfully obscene sentence. Grant texts anyway.

_You were right, as usual._


End file.
